Obliterating Atherosclerosis and Endarteritis in Legs

Vessels may be affected with obliterating diseases of arteries in legs on different levels of body:

1 – aorta and iliac artery

2 and 4 – femoral artery (in thighs)

3 and 5 – popliteal and tibial artery

Obliterating atherosclerosis in legs is an occlusion of blood vessel lumen with a cholesterol plaque when lumen is getting narrower.

Obliterating endarteritis refers to a condition when a blood vessel lumen is getting narrower blocked by a blood clot.

Risks Factors

Over age 45

Men

Obesity

Eating much unhealthy and greasy food

Hypodynamia

Smoking cigarettes (especially men over age 45)

Drinking too much alcohol

Diabetes

Family history

Description

Blood flow is limited when blocked by a plaque in a vein. This affects blood circulation, and lessens oxygen-rich blood flow to tissues and taking waste products of metabolism away. Cells are dying when they lack oxygen.

Clinical Presentation

At the early stages, person experiences chill or fever, legs are cold and less sensitive. A person may have intermittent claudication, which is the main sign. It is when a person feels pain in calf muscles while walking and they need to stop to relieve it.

At the first stage, the symptom occurs after walking every 500 to 1000 meters

At the second stage, it occurs after walking every 200 meters or less

At the third stage, pain may be felt during rest, especially in the night time, and claudication occurs after walking every 25 to 50 meters

At the third stage, person feels severe pains worsening quality of life. Trophic ulcers form on feet (purulent wounds that cannot be cured without treatment).

At the fifth stage, gangrene develops

Diagnostic Procedures

Rheography

Doppler ultrasound

Angiography

Duplex ultrasound

Treatment

At the first and second stages of the disease, patients should avoid the effects of causative factors and move more. At first stage, statins or other lipid-lowering medicines are prescribed. You may be prescribed medicines to remove blood clots, blood vessel spasms, pain relievers and vitamins (B vitamins and nicotinic acid).

At the late stages, surgery is performed. The choice of an operative procedure depends on parent’s individual characteristics, severity and location of the disease.